TOMATOES: THE BASICSPronounced. I say [tuh-MAY-toh], you say [tuh-MAH-toh] ... The Season. The tomato season is "mid summer to late fall". It'll do no good to look for tomatoes when the farmers markets open in the spring. (The exception? Florida! In Central Florida in April one year, I asked the woman at a farmstand if the tomatoes were local. No, she said. "They're from _____" – – and named a place a hundred miles further south! So much for my idea about Mexico tomatoes!) Blush = Best for Summer Tomatoes. During the summer growing season, good tomatoes are such a treat, watch for recipes with "Blush the Tomato" , these are only for the best of summer tomatoes. What About Canned Tomatoes? That said, canned tomatoes are a staple in my kitchen, just be sure to watch the ingredient lists, companies are starting to sneak in unnecessary and unhealthy sugar! Many great cooks swear by canned San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. Are they worth the price premium? I'm not impressed. Fruit or Vegetable? Botanically speaking, a tomato is a fruit but since 1893, has been classified as a vegetable by the U.S. for trade purposes and in the culinary world, tomatoes are nearly always in savory dishes, not sweet dishes. Botanical Cousins. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family, its nightshade cousins are the potato, the eggplant and the tomatillo. Bucking Conventional Wisdom. Now, this one will surprise you. The common wisdom is that tomatoes should be stored at room temperature, not in the refrigerator because once chilled, tomatoes become quite mealy. But here's the thing, what I do, what I recommend you do. To let tomatoes continue to ripen, leave tomatoes on the counter. But once they're fully ripe, moving the tomatoes to the fridge will stop the ripening. This is especially true for good garden tomatoes, ones you buy already ripe or almost ripe at the farmers market. Quick History Lesson. The tomato is native to South America but by the time European explorers arrived in the New World, the tomato had made its way north into Central America and Mexico. The Spanish carried plants back home from Mexico, but it took some time for tomatoes to be accepted in Spain because it was thought that tomatoes were poisonous. Some tomato advocates, however, claimed the fruit had aphrodisiac powers and, in fact, the French called them pommes d'amour or"love apples." It wasn't until the 1900s that the tomato gained some measure of popularity in the United States. Are Tomatoes Poisonous? Today, we know that tomatoes are NOT poisonous but the common wisdom says that tomato leaves are. But even that idea is subject to dispute, however widely held. Popularity Contest. Today tomatoes are second only to the potato in popularity. Dozens of tomato varieties are available today — ranging widely in size, shape and color. SOURCES. Personal experience & Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka & On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee aka the "Curious Cook".

HEY TOMATO LOVERS! WHAT SOUNDS GOOD?
~ A Few Highlights ~

BEST Recipes for PERFECT SUMMER TOMATOES
NOW EXTRA-EASY TO FIND! Watch for recipes marked with "Blush the Tomato" – that's this cute little tomato graphic, . These recipes are only for the very best of summer's ripe tomatoes! Recipes without Blush call for canned tomatoes (most often) or year-round supermarket tomatoes (usually Romas), perfect for cooking during cold weather and before summer's tomatoes ripen!

HOW TO ROAST Tomatoes
SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES, AN OBSESSION In 2005, I became slightly totally obsessed with slow-roasting tomatoes, roasting some 15 batches of tomatoes, perfecting time and temperature, oil and seasoning. I kept really good notes and published a Master Recipe here in A Veggie Venture here. Two years later, I was still obsessed and documented the technique with step-by-step photos in a Kitchen Parade column.

GREEN TOMATOES
WHEN TO HARVEST GREEN TOMATOES? AT FROST! In the American South, Fried Green Tomatoes are a culinary favorite. But they're not made with unripe, immature tomatoes all season long, they're made with tomatoes that are still on the vine but haven't yet ripened when the first frost hits, making them extra sweet. They're a real specialty!

SMALL TOMATOES: Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes
Wow, what a difference! For years, I've bought tiny cherry and grape tomatoes at the grocery store year-round. But during late summer and early fall, they just fall off the plants in huge handsful, so lovely, such great flavor, something to really, truly look forward to!

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comments:

Rose ~ Why thank you, you totally made my day! It’s nice to know that someone else is excited about vegetables as I am! :-)

Walter
on
September 22, 2014

Wow! A tomato recipe for virtually early occasion! I looked for a tomato gravy recipe on your list and didn't see it. Do you call it something else? It's a great way to use those tomatoes that are not quite perfect or are getting to that "almost too ripe to use" stage. I can't begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading Veggie Venture over the years. Thanks for all the hard work that it takes to make it happen every week!

Walter ~ So nice to hear from you again! Thanks for making my day -- and hey, it’s Monday, maybe my WEEK! :-)

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